Oil and Gas Scholarship winners in N.L. look forward to careers in offshore

From left, students Liam Carter (nautical science, Marine Institute), Nathan Hollett (engineering, Memorial University) and Karla Brown (geomatics and survey engineering technology, College of the North Atlantic) were three of the five recipients of the 2018 Oil and Gas Week scholarship. - Chloe Goodyear

In an industry that has had its share of ups and downs, students with potential in the oil and gas industry only have positive outlooks for their future careers.

Liam Carter, a second-year nautical science student at the Marine Institute from Port Aux Basques, was inspired to enter the field because of his father, he said.

“My old man works on the offshore supply boats. Always hearing stories from him and what he did really got me interested in the field,” Carter said.

The offshore oil industry is what he’s passionate about, he said.

“It’s definitely an interesting industry and something I’m looking forward to getting further into,” he said.

Carter was one of five post-secondary students to receive the 2018 Oil and Gas Scholarship at the official launch of the 16th annual Oil and Gas Week on Monday at Memorial University. Each scholarship is valued at $1,000 and is awarded to students from rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

Nathan Hollett, a second-year engineering student at Memorial University from Norris Arm, says the future still feels far away.

“As a second-year, it kind of feels far away yet. But I’m exploring all kinds of opportunities,” he said.

Having different options for a future career is exciting, he said.

“I’m not exclusive to any particular industry yet. I’m just keeping my doors open. Who knows at this point.”

Hollet said he is confident the scholarship will help him have more opportunities.

“I sincerely appreciate it. It allows you to explore more avenues and be more adventurous in your studies, for sure,” he said.

Greg Janes, a team lead for environment, regulatory and security with Suncor Energy, was the keynote speaker at the official launch of Oil and Gas Week.

As a MUN environmental engineering alumni, he knows how exciting the industry can be, Janes said.

“The oil and gas industry provides a lot of opportunities. Working in the oil and gas industry is dynamic, and it’s an exciting place to work.”

While his focus is environment and safety, career options are promising, he said.

“There are hundreds of different types of positions waiting for students to explore,” he said.